Snowmaking in New Mexico

December 18, 2017 | By: George Brooks

Ski New Mexico webcams show the snow so you know before you go

There’s plenty of snow on New Mexico’s ski slopes thanks to advanced snowmaking and grooming techniques. When Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate New Mexico Ski Areas have the ability to take matters into their own hands and make more snow than ever before. A significant amount of capital investment has been made in recent years into expanding snowmaking at New Mexico Ski Areas and with cooler temperatures we’ve been able to capitalize on our ability to make more snow and open more terrain for Skiers and Snowboarders.

To prove it, Ski New Mexico has created a page on its website that links to ski area webcams all across the state. “Check out the webcam page at skinewmexico.com to see what’s happening on the slopes across New Mexico in real time,” says Brooks Executive Director of Ski New Mexico. “We’re seeing the payoff of our ski areas continued investment in snowmaking equipment which on years like this insure that there will be good snow on the slopes.”

Snowmaking and Grooming Facts

With just a little cold weather, New Mexico’s ski slopes can be blanketed in white.

Around 28˚ F. is the “Magic Number” for Snowmaking

Depending on humidity and wind. It can be a little higher if it is dry out and lower if it is very humid. When the magic number is reached, you can be sure New Mexico ski areas are making snow.

Grooming is the Key

With the use of grooming equipment, ski areas can keep the snow on their slopes and withstand warm temperatures for a surprisingly long time. It is not uncommon for some ski areas to have patches of snow on the slopes well into June.

Man-made Snow is More Dense and Durable

Ten inches of natural snow, when packed, usually adds only one inch of snow to the ski slope’s base while 10 inches of man-made snow adds seven inches of base.

The Perfect Snowmaking Conditions

For every 10-degree temperature drop, snowmakers can double the output of machine-made snow. The lower the humidity, the better for making snow. If you add the temperature plus the humidity, that sum should equal less than 100 for favorable snowmaking weather.